Day of the Dead - Remembering Departed Loved Ones

The 1st of November is the Day of the Dead, a traditional Mexican holiday that has spread across the globe.    Grief from the loss of a loved one can be crippling, however, November 1st gives one a great reason focus on the greatness that once was and less on what was lost.

Image credit:  www.sxc.hu - free image

Personally I find this to be a great way to share the life of my father, who died in 2009 when my son was a year old and before my daughter was born.  My children will only know their maternal grandfather through me, and today is a day I can:

• cook one of his favorite meals;
• watch a favorite TV show or movie;
• look at photo albums from my youth;
• tell one of his favorite jokes; or
• scatter some bird seed on his grave (he so loved feeding the birds).

How about you?  What things do you do to celebrate a loved one who has parted?  Thanks for reading, and I'll be back tomorrow with more thoughts on the topic of illness, death and taxes for the middle class.